Apparatus for viewing, reading and projecting microfilms and like documents



1958 R. E. CHEROUVRIER 2,81 APPARATUS FOR VIEWING, READING AND PROJECTING MICROFILMS AND LIKE DOCUMENTS Filed Dec. 14, 1955 INVENTOR ROBERT ERNEST CHEROUVRIER ATTORNEY FIGJ nited States Patent APPARATUS FOR VIEWING, READING AND PRO- JECTING MICROFILMS AND LIKE DOCUMENTS Robert Ernest Cherouvrier, Paris, France Application December 14, 1955, Serial No. 553,134

6 Claims. (Cl. 88-24) This invention relates to improvements in appliances for viewing, reading and reproducing microfilms and documents, generally, of the kind which employ -a light source in conjunction with a lens system and objective and arefieetor mirror, provision being made to support the document, to be viewed or reproduced, between the objective and reflector mirror.

Known appliances of the above kind, sometimes known as episcopes, are generally cumbersome, unduly large, intricate and expensive to manufacture.

' It.is an object of the present invention to provide an appliance of the above kind which is of lighter weight, cheaper to manufacture and which enables documents to be read, viewed or reproduced without blurr or vibra-' tion.

Another object of the invention is to provide an appliance of the above kind which, due to the inherent construction of the casing and structure for supporting the optical lenses, objective and reflector mirror, enables these parts to be properly positioned in as stable a manner as is possible.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide an appliance of the above kind having improved mounting structure for supporting the entire optical system, which permits ready adjustment of this system in a single operation for obtaining the correct projection axis, and this with the use of a common carrier.

The above and further objects and advantages of the invention, residing in the construction, arrangement and combination of parts, will appear clear from consideration of the following description of one practical form of the invention, given by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, and from the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the appliance according to the invention, and

Figure 2 is a central vertical longitudinal sectional view of Figure 1.

The appliance shown in the drawing comprises a casing 1 made of suitably cut sheet metal of sufl'icient thickness to provide the required rigidity and advantageously covered by a frosted paint, which gives the appliance a satisfactory appearance. The casing 1 is mounted on suitable casters 1a. The two side walls 2 of the casing I extend upwardly to form parallel supporting arms 3 interconnected at their upper ends by a plate 4 which supports a mirror 5 held in position by downwardly folded lugs 6 formed integral with said plate 4, or suitably connected thereto, preferably with interposed wedge plates of cork, rubber, or equivalent material. The front wall 7 of the casing is folded upon itself, by stamping, so as to provide an upwardly directed land or table surface 8. The casing is closed at the rear and upper portion by walls 9, 10 which are hinged to the other parts of the casing and define an opening through which access may be gained to the parts contained within the casing.

Upon the casing 1, which forms the cladding of the appliance, there is mounted a cowl 11 carrying the optical system of the appliance, the focusing objective 12 being mounted on the transverse limb thereof. This cowl 11 has the shape of a bail member constituted by a l'lgld piece of sheet metal folded upon itself and connected to the upper inclined land or table surface 8 of the easing 1. The cowl 11 has limbs substantially of the same length braced by small ported supporting plates acting as carriers for the'lenses of the optical condenser. in the embodiment of the invention as shown there are three lenses 19, 20 and 35. The outer lenses 20 and 35 have a relatively small radius of curvature, while the middle lens 19 has a larger radius of curvature. Such lenses are held in position by centralizing prongs which ensure a correct and accurate positioning in a simple and swift way. The small supporting plates are provided with lugs engaged through corresponding slots formed in the limbs of the cowl 11. The use of an optical condenser made up of three lenses of the aforesaid type permits a microfilm of larger sized image to be nicely illuminated just as a microfilm having no side holes.

The upper face of the land or table surface 8 of the casing 1 carries a stationary glass pane 45 which constitutes the lower element of the film presser of the appliance. Such glass pane 45 is held in position on the casing 1 by a pair of crimped lugs and a pair of centralizing pins. The upper element of the film presser comprises a body portion 44 secured by a screw 46 to a yokeshaped carrier 36 pivotally supported at 47 upon the optical cowl 11 and urged downwardly by a pair of torsion springs (not shown). The body portion 44 of the film presser receives a small glass plate 48 adapted to rest upon the film interposed between it and the stationary pane 45. Such glass plate 48 is removably secured to the body portion 44 by a pair of flat springs.

Thefilm presser is arranged in the plane in which extends a wide port formed in the limbs of the rigid supporting cowl 11. This port is so sized as to also permit microfilms of any size to be received therein.

On the drawing 22 indicates a transformer connected with the lamp 16 by a lead 23 for feeding current of the required voltage. This transformer permits the appliance to be used with different input voltages.

In order to permit an adjustment of the position of the punctual filament of the lamp 16 which illuminates the microfilm, there is provided an adjustable carrier device comprising a small bar 49 made of an insulating material secured to the optical cowl 11 and slidably receiving through an elongated slot a screw-threaded socket 29 carrying the lamp 16 and including a thicker upper collar 28 into which a screw 31 is set for locking the lamp 16 in position. Knurled nuts 30 arranged on the opposite sides of the insulating bar 49 permitthe position of the socket 29 and consequently of the lamp 16 with respect to the bar 49 to be adjusted. Flats (not shown) are provided for holding the socket 29 against rotation while providing a clearance which permits the lamp 16 to be adjusted sidewise to a certain extent. The screwthreaded socket 29 is closed at its lower end by an insulating plug 33 through which is engaged a terminal 32 to which is connected one of the leads 23 from the transformer 22; Contact with the lamp is established by a spring blade Stl connected to said terminal 32. The other lead 23 is directly connected to the socket 29 by a lug 51.

It will be seen that, owing to this novel arrangement, mere screwing up or unscrewing of the knurled nuts 30 permits the punctiform filament of the lamp 16 to be exactly aligned with the optical axis of the system, thereby providing adequate focusing of the resultant image.

Use of this appliance has established that, while of relatively simple and cheap construction, it is possible to obtain, vtiith eiifiieient' mag'nification and'vvith peifct clearness -and luminosity, prints on -photographic paper, or photo copies, of microfilms or documents. When the appliance is in use the light rays emitted from the lam 16-ip'ass throtigh the cond'enser lenses 19; ZO- and 35, tlie'n tlirdugh 'the-ttansparertcy pressed upon the-glass panel 45 by the fiImJpresser- 44', to be p'rojected from L-the objective. 12 upori the firnirror 5;" which Freflects the light ttswa'rd' as'sereeng suclras a table top 52, for viewing.

- owingue its sitnp'le construction and :to its perfect stabilityy this appliance isqsarticularlyisuitable for use on a tableor 'desk for fexaminingiarchivesp scientific,- or other dbciihieiits.

=While the applian'ceahas been ."described and illustrated as adapted forturnishing' arnimagelin :a' horizontal-plane, it 'also peiinits awcrtical Wall pfjeetiorimfthe document or' rnierofilm' tobefidbtained wlienthes-app'liance is' supported ou -its rear' 'wall' 9. 1 lt-" is alsoi'pssible toprovide the side walls'i 'of the easing l with removable or hinged a'rms provid'ewwith axles for =the engagement and supportingof microfilms in rolled form.

is 'claiined is:

- -1- =In-' 'an'---appliance forwiewing, r-reading and reproducing mic-'rofilms' -and "other documents- 'comprising a casing-haviiig m inc-lined-ruppcr surfacezior receiving the microfilm, means for holding -the"microfilm,- an'optical system includinganfobjectivegamultiple lens condenser and :aviighe-souice and: annirrorurigidiy connected to: said casing, axrigid supportingicowl iforming anxoptical' frame fixed no sai'd alpper surface; the transverse li-mb of said cowl "extending mpwardly end-supporting qhe-wobjective whileiitsisidei 'limb's extend invertical' planesg brace 'plates interconnecting said' side'flimbs, ports sin said brace plates, lenses :coveringsaid portsylens holding-i prongs fo'verzsaid ports -in true \op'tical 'alignm'ent} slots in the side limbs: oftthe cbwl; lugs :carried by said braceplates: andengaged through said' 'slotsgand adjustable means carrying-the light source a'nd secured to'said -side' -limbs.

2. Amappliance -for viewing; reading -=and"reproducing microfilms accordingtotclaim 1, "comprising a-=setof threeplano-convex lenses 'each'of which'issecured -to one of the 'brace plates,' themiddleilens' having a relatively' large radius-of curvatnre"while the outer len'ses have a relatively small radius -ofcurvature.

3.- An appliance for viewing, :reading and reproducing microfilms according to claim .2, wherein the side-limbs of the-supportingcowl-are provided just overthe inclined land surface of-'-the"casing With a port of large-size extending in the-plane 'of= the i'microfilm-holding" means for permitting the microfilm and microfarads to be passed T therethrou'gh.

4. In an. appliance for viewing, reading and reproducing microfilms and like documents comprising a casing having an inclined upper land-surface for receiving the microfilm, anoptical-system including an objective, a

multiplelens:corfderiser and alight source' and a mirror rigidly-connected to said-casing, a'rigid supporting cowl formingan .optical'fra-me and=secured to theupper inclined *land-surface-of ithe casing, 'the transverse limb of said-cowl extendingaupwardly and carrying the'obyoke .member, ar-glass .pane mounted upon said .presser and resting hpbn-the'r'nicrofilm fof :hdldin'g' if down-end spring 'meanselas'tically applying said' upper glass pane against thevsubjacent*glasmpane whichclanips the microfilm.

5. ln an "appliancetor-"viewin reading"'ai1d" reproducing microfilmsiahddike fdocumentsicomprising a casing having an upper inclined land surface for receiving the microfilm, means for holding down the microfilm, an optical system including an objective, a multiple lens condenser=and a light-source having'a punctiformtfilani'ent and a mirror rigidly'eonnected to-*saidcasinggszai-rigid supporting cowl made' ofsheet metal forming ran'roptical frame secured to said upperland surface ofathe zcasing, thetransverse limb-of-thecowl: extending upwardly: and

e carrying-the'objective whi1e itsside' limbs extend in' ver tical planes, small brace platesinterconnectingesaidrrside limbs for forming a rigidassembly; --the lenses eof-ithe optical condenser-being secured 'to s-said-"brace pla'tes, a rest surface for the microfilm rprovided-ou tsaid-iup'per portingcowl over -.-said i-incline'd land :surface, fandad justable-suppofting means ?for the :lYght-iSOWCCZSO'ZfiS accurately to align -punctiform.-:-filament* v'vithttihe optical 1axis of the system carried by the rigid supporting cow -6. An appliance for viewing, treading-and: reproducing mierofilms wand --1ike-- docurneiits according to claim 5 wherein the adjustable means suppotting' the "alight s'outce includean-insulating: bar mounted mpon the sidetlimbs of the rigid supporting cowl, an elongatedsldt-ibeihg formed -in said bar, a screw-threadedsocket beingengaged =through-vsaid= slot, -"nuts ibeing-r'screwed upon -"the socket-and being abutted-on=the rdpposite sides of -the bar for locking said-socket inthetrequiredposition-on saidlbar, -alamp having a punctiforrm filament set' into'the socket, means for holding-theilamp infthe so'dkeg an'd electrical connecting '-means'-"leadin'g'-to"-the*isodlet %ind central terminal-- of said =lamp.

References Cited "in 'the"file 6f thisifiatent "UNITED STATES PATENTS 

